We aim to deliver electricity to European markets: Energy Minister Bayraktar
Close up footage of windmill in Sigacik, Seferihisar district of Izmir, Türkiye, accessed on 5 April 2025. (Adobe Stock Photo)
Türkiye is working to create an energy corridor that will transmit electricity—primarily from renewable sources—produced in Azerbaijan and surrounding regions to European markets, according to Energy and Natural Resources Minister Alparslan Bayraktar.
Speaking during his visit to Azerbaijan for the 11th Ministerial Meeting of the Southern Gas Corridor Advisory Council and the 3rd Ministerial Meeting of the Green Energy Advisory Council, Bayraktar outlined new phases of energy cooperation between Türkiye and Azerbaijan.
“We are currently working on a project to transmit electricity—primarily renewable—produced in Azerbaijan and in this region to Türkiye via Georgia and Nakhchivan,” Bayraktar said and added, “Naturally, we want to integrate this with the European market.”
Expanding energy cooperation between Türkiye and Azerbaijan
Bayraktar highlighted the Southern Gas Corridor as a globally significant initiative developed through strong political leadership from both nations.
The project has enabled the transport of natural gas from the Caspian Basin to Türkiye and onward to Europe.
“The Southern Gas Corridor has become a vital project contributing to both Türkiye’s and Europe’s energy security. Our goal is to increase the capacity of TANAP from its current 16 billion cubic meters to 31 billion cubic meters,” Bayraktar said and added, “Türkiye is both a key market and a natural gas hub and will continue to fulfill its role.”
Bayraktar also emphasized the continued strategic importance of the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan pipeline, which carries about 700,000 barrels of Azerbaijani oil daily through Türkiye to global markets.
Türkiye targets renewable energy transmission to Europe
Focusing on electricity transmission, Bayraktar said, “Türkiye and Azerbaijan are entering a new phase in their exemplary energy cooperation. We are currently engaged in a project to transmit electricity—especially from renewable sources—produced in Azerbaijan and the broader region to Türkiye through Georgia and Nakhchivan. Our intention is to connect this to the European market.”
Bayraktar added that energy cooperation in electricity is developing rapidly. “Our goal is to increase these capacities. Especially electricity produced from renewable sources—our aim is to transmit it to Türkiye and through Türkiye to the European markets,” he said.
Multilateral energy ties with Turkic states
Bayraktar noted that Türkiye will host the upcoming Energy Ministers Meeting of the Organization of Turkic States (OTS) this year.
“We now aim to expand the bilateral cooperation we have with Azerbaijan into a multilateral framework among the Turkic states, thereby increasing both volume and economic value,” he said.
“It is of great significance for both these countries and Western nations that energy resources from Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan are transmitted not only eastward but also westward,” he added.
